Help I have trouble eating under 2000 cals a day!
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That wasnt the point of the post. The point of the post was, I could never eat like that. even if i consumed what they consumed just on their lunch break if that was my meal for the whole day I would not lose, i would likely maintain and I would have to be way under the average daily intake of 2,000 even with exercising everyday and having a physical job.. im just saying that sucks for me!I like when people assume that they're different. I see all these people eat X and when I eat X I get fat and they don't. Yea, but for example what if that's there only primary meal for the day. I had a 1000 breakfast today and still hit my goals just fine. You need to learn to separate mental hunger over real physical hunger if you can. The best way is to cut simple carbs / sugars and make sure you hit your fiber and daily water consumption.
Frank Yang and Michael Phelps eat 5,000-10,000 calories because they expend that much energy. The average person doesn't. The real answer is. If you can't find anything that works food wise to get you a caloric deficit you have to burn it off through exercise.
FYI at nearly 300 pounds with a physical job and exercising I am always in a deficit.... yet i lose no weight eating 2000 cals, which means i cant eat 2000 cals. SImple as that it sucks and NO. I DONT EAT CALORIES BACK IF I CANT LOSE AT A DEFICIT HOW CAN I LOSE AT A SURPLUS SMH..
I understand what you are saying. I also understand your frustration. I found out early on that I simply could not eat as much as other people and stay slim. I have never 'accidentally' lost weight like some people I know. I compared my diet to men around me and thought I was eating so much less than I was.
The only time I could eat 2500 and maintain, was when I worked as a baggage handler for a major airline and lifted heavy in the gym 3 days a week, plus 45 minutes of cardio. I was 30 at the time and 5'6", 150-155 pounds.
When I had a disabling injury that put me in a wheelchair for a couple of years, I gained a lot of weight, and am now working on getting it off at 49. It IS hard. It SUCKS that I can't eat like 'normal' people. But considering that 2/3 of the US population is overweight, and 1/3 is Obese, then 'normal' is definitely not healthy.
I fought it for years. I would 'diet' for a week or so, lose a couple of pounds, then the scale would stop moving and I would get frustrated and quit, and go back to eating 1800 cals a day. Yeah, I maintained on between 1600-1800 cals a day. Being extremely sedentary will do that.
Six months ago, after losing my mom to diabetes, and turning 49, I joined MFP and made the commitment to lose the weight. WHATEVER it took. I knew that if I didn't, I would be unhealthy, immobile, and end up with Diabetes very soon. And not be there for my kids and grandkids for all the important events in their lives. My mom died 3 weeks before my first grandchild was born.
When you finally get sick and tired of being sick and tired, and reach the point that you are willing to do WHATEVER it takes to lose the weight and get healthy. THEN you will succeed.
It sucks. It is not fair. But not much in life is fair. I had to finally put on my big girl panties. Accept my reality. And just do it. And the next day get up and do it again. And again. And here I am 6 months later, much slimmer, much stronger, much healthier, and much HAPPIER!
Yeah, some days I'd love a Big Mac and fries. But it just isn't worth it anymore. My priorities have changed drastically. My biggest regret is that I didn't figure all this out when I was 30.
Will I ever be able to eat like 'normal' people again? Not the definition of the average person's 'normal', no. But I have a 'new normal' and it is SO worth it.
When you decide that you are indeed ready, there are many different ways to get started. Sounds like you could probably benefit from a carb detox. The South Beach Diet plan is a very healthy Mediterranean style diet that has a 2 week beginning phase that breaks your addiction to sugar and simple carbs. You then start adding back in healthy carbs after the first 2 weeks. It is a lifestyle change and once you get a couple of weeks into it, you will see great results and will feel so much better, then you will want to eat that way for life.
If losing weight was easy, there would be no fat people in the world. It takes commitment, patience, planning, hard work, and often times telling yourself "no".
When you are ready, you can do it.0 -
The point of the post wasnt for you to harp on the 900 cals for breakfast it was posted for a reason, which you seem to fail to realize... it's to understand that it is hard for one to eat "normally" and eat under 2000 cals... 2 soft tacos with or without the potato seems like a normal meal to me.... the tacos would have been over 700 even without the potato.... thats a lot of cals for not a lot of food. Its normal to eat two tacos with ground beef, taco shells and cheese... mine where the edited version. I in fact wanted tacos again but had a hamburger instead because tacos are far too calorie dense. My question is, is there anyone who eats like an average American/person goes to the grocery store gets food, prepares meal, and eats and is at 2000 cals and is losing... apparently thats not you, so you can go on your way now... i know 900 cals is a lot for breakfast which is why i posted it, but it is normal and this thread is for people who eat normal food in this case from the grocery store and prepare it, i cant help the calories...which is the point of the post, apparently you missed that. You seem to think its about giving me your opinion on what is a lot and what isnt a lot and who is fat and who isnt fat and is that your current picture because if people who are fat eat 900 cals... then.. *no comment*:indifferent:
You say all posts are welcome yet you mock them.....most people who eat 900 calories for breakfast are fat.
:flowerforyou: its late and im on tom there is a lot of good post in here minus they few:indifferent: Sorry for all the cranky post..please everyone, who actually lost eating 2000 cals and eats normally give your advice, story, and so on...
FYI - Beef tacos for breakfast - NOT NORMAL; Bags of marshmellows you saw your coworker eating - NOT NORMAL. Thinking a burger and is not as dense or high calorie as a beef taco - NOT NORMAL. You have a very skewed perception of what normal is. No one can come to you and say that the way YOU EAT will help you LOSE WEIGHT!
You need to stop making excuses for why it is so bloody impossible, and decide if you have ANY desire to change. Because if you haven't noticed - WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS NOT WORKING! So perhaps, you should TRY TO HEAR some of the advise from the successful friends on here that were nice enough to take the time to offer you help after YOU ASKED!0 -
No need for us to get mean here...
I've also checked out your diary and agree you probably should start logging more. Also, probably cut back on the sugary meals for breakfast and increase it with more filling foods like protein and fiber. Increasing water intake is also good and exercise is also good. I'm also guilty of eating sugary stuff but since I love them (like you do,;-)), I'd replace the cupcake for a good tasting protein bar. Again the protien bar is more filling than the cupcake and tastes just as good. I'd also suggest lowering your base calories to about 1500 or 1600 a day... I think 2000 is a bit high if you want to lose weight.0 -
I work 10 - 11 hour shifts... desk job too, making it way too easy to snack, spend some time out on the road too which makes it hard to keep things constant too...
But this is the main difference - the op spends her entire shift walking around. I'm hazarding a guess she is in the very active range at work- plus she exercises. I'm actually not sure she needs to be eating under 2000 cals/day.
No one will know the answer to this unless she logs all food honestly and correctly....
Only then can you compare your food intake to your burned cals!
If you don't know how much you are eating... how much you are burning and you are not losing weight.... you are f*cked..
and the comments about going to see docs etc are valid and good comments... however... in my opinion way too soon to go down that road until she can be f*cked to listen and try some of the advice people have kindly shared!!0 -
I eat 900 calorie mealsIt sounds like your definition of "normal" needs to change. 900 calories for one meal would be normal for, maybe, a linebacker. Or an unhealthy person. I think I eat like a "normal" person. I don't restrict anything, if I want it, I have it. And I am usually right where I need to be for calories. If I am going to eat more I exercise and "earn" some more calories. Check out my diary, it is open.
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If you're on your feet all day you might be able to eat 2000 calories and lose. With that said, make no wonder you're hungry. First off, I wouldn't consider hamburgers fries and tacos and potatos a 'normal persons' diet. We feel hungry for reasons other then not eating enough food. People get hungry when they're missing something in their diet, are thirsty, or aren't getting enough food for example. Looking at the things you listed, they are not exactly well rounded in the nutrient spectrum. Calculate how much protein you should be getting, how much fat, fill the rest in with carbs, and make sure you're making an effort to get your micronutrients too.Okay, so basically I need SOME ADVICE from people who have had trouble eating under 2000 cals a day...
I know all the simplistic answers make healthy choices, pack your lunch, stay away from junk etc... but i work long hours on my feet all day and at work i grab the nearest thing around, ive been good these last couple of days about not eating a crazy amount of cals but still i ate way over 1500 and felt like was darn starving myself.. how do you do it? Seriously my stomach grumbles and im having hunger pains.. i dont see how people sustain themselves off salad and a few chunks of chicken breast or fruit and water.. i feel like i ate nothing.. plus who wants to eat two hard boiled eggs for a meal wtf.. you know how it(2 boiled eggs) is on the menu in every restaurant:huh: :indifferent: ... i want to eat like normal.
like for breakfast i had 2 homemade soft tacos and a baked potato and it came out to @ 900 cals for two small tacos and a baked potato...
for lunch a homemade hamburger and fries almost 600 cals.. and it not like im using fatty meat... 90% lean ground beef is 200 for a quarter pound, bread is 100 cals, cheese 100, condiments about 50, potato and ketchup @ 150 cals...
you get my point... is anyone eating like a normal person and losing? I mean at work im gonna grab something convenient if i missed breakfast and am starving and the only thing in my vending machines are junk! chips and cupcakes etc... im not going to be hungry... this seems way more difficult than it should be.. Eat Less Cals, Exercise = Lose Weight.. but Doesnt seem like it works like that for me.. seems like im going to have to be in pain and starve and eat carrots and grass...0 -
I work 10 - 11 hour shifts... desk job too, making it way too easy to snack, spend some time out on the road too which makes it hard to keep things constant too...
But this is the main difference - the op spends her entire shift walking around. I'm hazarding a guess she is in the very active range at work- plus she excercises. I'm actually not sure she needs to be eating under 2000 cals/day.
If this was the case, then she wouldn't be gaining weight when she went over 2000 cals.0 -
I work 10 - 11 hour shifts... desk job too, making it way too easy to snack, spend some time out on the road too which makes it hard to keep things constant too...
But this is the main difference - the op spends her entire shift walking around. I'm hazarding a guess she is in the very active range at work- plus she excercises. I'm actually not sure she needs to be eating under 2000 cals/day.
If this was the case, then she wouldn't be gaining weight when she went over 2000 cals.
She may not be logging correctly, especially after someone noting her use of 'quick add' calories. 2000 is not a huge number for someone who is on their feet all day. Especially if they feel famished.0 -
idea of a "portion size" was so wonky that I have resigned myself to the fact that I have to completely learn how to feed myself "correctly". I still struggle with trying to keep my calories below 2,000 a day. I'm ok if I've made it to the gym or done a workout to go to about 2,100 or so but even then I feel like I've been denying myself. I know this isn't the case, it's just old habits dying hard in my case. I have MFP set to lose "1 pound per week" and that gives me a base of about 1,770 calories. The old me thinks every day how hard it is to keep within those walls...but the new me thinks "YES YOU CAN!"
Good luck!0 -
What you are doing isn't working, and frankly, it's going to kill you. With a busy life (and don't we all have a busy life?) you need to plan healthy choices so you aren't eating empty calories from a vending machine. Maybe start with planning one healthy meal a day that includes lean protein, fruits/veggies and whole grains. You need to retrain yourself to what real food tastes like. It's not the sweet and salty treats you get from a bag. You have a long road ahead of you, but you can do it!0
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I have not read all of the posts. I just want you to know, it is possible to lose weight eating normal food. You just can't eat 2000 calories of normal food unless you are burning some of those calories by exercising.
Prepare for naysayers............ Have you tried Keto/ low carb / Paleo? Those plans are much more filling. I followed Atkins for 2 weeks ( then caught a stomach virus from my school aged children ) and rarely went over 1600 calories per day. I ate lots of green veggies and had yummy eggs, bacon, and sausage for breakfast, chicken breasts and a garden salad for lunch, baked fish or grilled chicken for supper. Just my opinion. Try it.0 -
is anyone eating like a normal person and losing?
I hate to sound harsh but the problem is your perception of "normal" has ben warped by the typical modern lifestyle. Always in a rush, eating out of a box, snacking on junk, and just grabbing whatever is available without any thought or effort. The bottom line is eating right takes at least a little effort and planning. Look at my food diary (yesterday and most days because today is my slack day). A TON of food usually and only 2600ish calories. My advice is think about what you're going to eat not only tomorrow, but for the next week. Prep your food the night before or a couple days before if it keeps. Eat out of a box as little as possible. Stop snacking on garbage. Eat more protein to stay full. 200 calories of cottage cheese or tuna will keep you full WAY WAY WAY longer than a pack of crackers. Veggies veggies veggies. They need to dominate your plate, followed by lean meats, followed by carbs.0 -
Okay - still reading responses and still feel that they fluid issue is the problem.
Okay - say your base rate for the day with your activity level is 2300. that means any day you eat over that you gain. If when not dieting you eat 3000 a day - your are gaining almost a quater a pound a day. that is more than a pound a week. So first you have to stop gaining - then move to losing. I had to do the same thing. You are messing up your metabolism by not eating balanced. You need to drink more. Please - drink more.
Other people can eat more calories - but their base metabolism might be higher and their activity level - or their BMI might be lower. Muscle burns calories thru hydration and breathing normally - fat does not. Fat is storage. So if they have more muscle than you they will lose more without doing more activity than you. Hence they can eat more. You cannot keep healthy muscle with hydration.0 -
Honestly, I have no problem eating around 1,600 a day eating regular food - I work a physically demanding job. Feel free to send me a FR to look at my diary, but yeah I feel like you you have to reprogram to understand what "normal" portion sizes are and adding in A LOT more veggies.0
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My 2 cents.
You can't use a HRM like that, it's just not accurate. You might be burning 2,000 cals at work, but that is just an estimate. Have you tried wearing a pedometer and seeing how many steps you take?
900 calories for one meal is not a big deal to me. To compensate for that, I have had to choose that I either get one large meal per day or more snacks. I don't get both. I choose to save my big meal for the evening so that I can either have it as one big meal or a regular meal and a snack before bed. It took some playing around, but I have finally come up with a breakfast that I enjoy, that is something I can keep at work, and will keep me full until lunch if needed. It's not for everyone, and is probably higher in carbs than many here would like, but it works for me. I have around 1/2 cup of 2% cottage cheese, 2 Tablespoons of a jelly, jam, preserve, fruit spread, etc., and 1 Tablespoon of benefiber powder. For 258 calories, although it is 40g of carbs, I get in 15g of protein and 5g of fiber with only 4g of fat.
I make a deal with myself - start with this. Eat it, drink a cup of coffee and drink a glass of water. If I am still hungry after all of that, then I eat a snack - I keep baby carrots, cubed butternut squash, apples, bananas, and light string cheese here.
Lunch I try to keep simple and often have a can of soup. Yes, it is high in sodium, and those cans are tricky because each can is "about 2" servings, which tends to translate into 2.2 for Progresso, but it's still around 350 cals. I try to bring homemade soup some too if I can. I'll often eat a banana or other fruit with it and that keeps lunch under 500 calories.
With breakfast, lunch, and snacks, I try to stay under 900 calories, so that I can have 700-800 left for dinner. (I get around 1600 cals per day and plus an extra 125-200 from exercise each day.)
I have things going on right now that sometimes don't let me cook a healthy dinner and it ends up being fast food. I've gone through and figured out a list of choices from the local places, so that I at least make the best of it. Last night I gave into TOM cravings and had a small order of fries. Those, plus a grilled chicken sandwich, and a packet of spicy ketchup ended up at 801 calories. So even though I wouldn't call it a "healthy" meal, it did fit into my calories for the day.
The night before that, I made a salad for supper (lots of veggies, but also a small amount of meat, cheese, croutons, and dressing) (555 calories) and later I had a bowl of cheerios before bed (175 calories), so this ended up being 730 calories for the evening.
I'm not the healthiest eater yet - I'm working into this slowly so that I am making a long term change and I need to do that slowly. When I first started, I didn't really change what I was eating, just how I was eating. When I would get my plate, I would divide out 1/4 of it not to eat. If I ate everything else, drank a full glass of tea and was still hungry, I could eat more, but I found out that after time and drinking that amount of liquid, I could normally get by not finishing my plate.
I still have to make deals in my head - drink a glass of water, wait 20 minutes, and if I am still hungry, I can eat. I am slowly retraining myself to tell thirst from hunger, and to recognize that I do not have to clean my plate. I have thrown away more food over these past 5 months than I have in a long time. There was guilt at first, but as the pounds have come off, I've been able to get over that.0 -
so, the thread is only a day old and has something like 162 answers and counting, including a mild flame war... Not bad.
If you read all the posts, if you still read to here.... You wanted a advice:Okay, so basically I need SOME ADVICE from people who have had trouble eating under 2000 cals a day...
I know all the simplistic answers make healthy choices, pack your lunch, stay away from junk etc... but i work long hours on my feet all day and at work i grab the nearest thing around, ive been good these last couple of days ....but still i ate way over 1500 and felt like was darn starving myself.. how do you do it? Seriously my stomach grumbles and im having hunger pains.. i dont see how people sustain themselves off salad and a few chunks of chicken breast or fruit and water.. i feel like i ate nothing....
i can sympathise. You say you are up on your feet all day. I had a sedentary job and ran half an hour every day. I felt starved on 2000 also. And I was normal weight, BMI 22. Oh, food, glorious food.
But to me... If you want to lose weight, you seem to make the wrong food choices. For me, the question was not, how can I eat my favourite foods/normal and stay under 2000 calories, the question was, how can I fit as much satiety as I can into 2000 (or whatever calorie goal).
Hamburger and tacos may be satisfying, but the calories/satiety ratio is bad. And you may not want to eat only lean chicken with salad, but at least it has a high satiety value for low calories. So, particularly look out for foods with a high satiety value.... Those also tend to be 'healthy' food, because lean protein and high fibre foods make you very full.
It takes a change in habit and mindset, and it takes time. I used to not eat apples. I slowly, steadily and intentionally got myself used to eating apples. Apples are a wonderful food: their fibre (pectin) makes you feel full for quite a while. They are sweet, yet healthy. . I had a period where I cut them up into slices, then one when I would always have a whole apple, then another period where I always cut them into slices.
You grab whatever food is around in the vending machine. Then plan ahead. Get yourself a lunchbox and pack some healthy foods that are quick to eat. Apple slices are good. Carrot sticks are good. Carrot sticks with a small tub of hommus dip are a great snack whch give a lot of satiety. Other people have suggested other things. Try cottage cheese (high protein).
I almost believe initially you should focus more on your food habits than on the calories. If you can't switch to all-healthy at once, then do it gradually. Go to the vending machine only once per day, try to make every other snack a low calorie healthy one. Back to that dreaded chicken with salad: don't have it for every meal, but for every other meal. Or of course other lean meat with vegetables. Planning ahead and cooking ahead like many have suggested is also a good idea. If you are used to soft drinks -- try making every other glass a glass of water.
All the best.0 -
I haven't read all of the replies made, but I have read many of them and I think there is a lot of sound advice ... but it seems as though you are mocking or arguing with the people that are giving it. I'm unsure why you are asking for help if you don't really want it?
Please don't feel as though I'm attacking you when I say this, but I don't think your mind is right for this journey. Your perception of "normal" and lack of nutritional knowledge will sabotage you before you even get started. I looked at your food diary and you aren't logging food, but rather "quick calories" so it is impossible for us to help you. Also, by logging the "quick calories" there is a likelihood that you are logging inaccurately. From the food that you described you were eating it sounds as though you are not getting very much nutrition, which is probably why you are so hungry. I didn't see one fruit or vegetable in your entire description (and no, lettuce on a burger does not count as a vegetable) and that is what your diet should primarily be based on...fruits and vegetables.
When I say the word diet, I don't mean your calorie restrictions and weight loss goals, but I mean diet as is what you should be eating every day. THAT is normal, regardless or trying to lose weight or not. Eating marshmallows by the bagful at work is NOT normal.
I'm sorry, but the first thing you have to fix is where your head is, otherwise you are in for countless unhappy journeys up and down the scale. You have to want it before you can do it. Like, you have to REALLY WANT it. And it doesn't sound like you are ready for that. You can't lose weight doing what you've always done. Obviously that doesn't work or you wouldn't be in the situation you are in. Trust me, you can eat TONS of food for very little calories if you eat the right food, in fact, frequently at the end of the day I am struggling to get up to calorie goal and I feel like I eat constantly and am almost never hungry. I am happy to help if you need advice, motivation or support.0 -
My mom was always the same way.. she'd tell me how we're fat becuase of genetics, because she's a nurse.. on her feet all day.. very physcial job and she could never lose anything. What was her motto at work? Dessert 1st! (good moto really LOL) Because you might not get to finish your lunch break! Also.. nurses grab anything at the nurses station and eat it. Patient families are always bringing food in, so are other nurses and co-workers.
My mom finally lost some weight after she stopped working and started doing water areobics and she started eating food I cooked her. Not that it was teh healthiest thing you could get, but leaps and bounds better then what she was eating. She finally had to accept that it was her choices and her attitude towards food that is keeping her overweight. She is still overweight, but she has decided she is happy and doesn't want to lose it, despite me trying to change her mind.
I think that's where you are. You recognize the problem, but are as of yet unwilling to actually do what is required to change. Recognizing the problem is a good step.. accepting that you are the reason it exists and you are the only one who can change it is the next, then actually changing.. that's the hardest but most vital change.
Until you are really ready.. all you're doing is looking for excuses as to why you can't lose weight, while not really changing anything.
Also.. i see a lot of mention of "normal" eating.> What do you mean? fast food and candy? that's not normal. Although i'd probably define normal differently then you would. Normal for me is lots of fresh meat and veggies. I grew up that way. Eating meat we raised ourselves, eggs from our chickens and veggies from our garden. I rarely ever had processed foods, high fat foods, boxed anything growing up. When I became an adult, even when eating that stuff, I never once thought it was normal. How I eat now is closer to normal then how I was eating before. If you're view of normal is eating fast food and candy then I suggest the problem lies in your thought process.
Nothing worth it is ever easy.
ETA: WOWZA! I need go to through salt detox from just reading your diary.. hint.. salt laden food make you retain water weight.. they keep you fat. chips/fastfood/candy/ pretzels/ etc.. ok to have some once in a while.. but not all the time!0 -
I have not read through all the responses so this may have been covered, but how do you know how much you are eating..you are not logging your food - just a bunch of quick adds. Start logging.
Yes, this.0 -
Okay, so basically I need SOME ADVICE from people who have had trouble eating under 2000 cals a day...
I know all the simplistic answers make healthy choices, pack your lunch, stay away from junk etc... but i work long hours on my feet all day and at work i grab the nearest thing around, ive been good these last couple of days about not eating a crazy amount of cals but still i ate way over 1500 and felt like was darn starving myself.. how do you do it? Seriously my stomach grumbles and im having hunger pains.. i dont see how people sustain themselves off salad and a few chunks of chicken breast or fruit and water.. i feel like i ate nothing.. plus who wants to eat two hard boiled eggs for a meal wtf.. you know how it(2 boiled eggs) is on the menu in every restaurant:huh: :indifferent: ... i want to eat like normal.
like for breakfast i had 2 homemade soft tacos and a baked potato and it came out to @ 900 cals for two small tacos and a baked potato...
for lunch a homemade hamburger and fries almost 600 cals.. and it not like im using fatty meat... 90% lean ground beef is 200 for a quarter pound, bread is 100 cals, cheese 100, condiments about 50, potato and ketchup @ 150 cals...
you get my point... is anyone eating like a normal person and losing? I mean at work im gonna grab something convenient if i missed breakfast and am starving and the only thing in my vending machines are junk! chips and cupcakes etc... im not going to be hungry... this seems way more difficult than it should be.. Eat Less Cals, Exercise = Lose Weight.. but Doesnt seem like it works like that for me.. seems like im going to have to be in pain and starve and eat carrots and grass...
So you want to 'eat like normal' normal for what? Being overweight, which is what you are and obviously don't want to be.
You're eating calorie dense food but can't seem to see this. What's wrong with eating vegetables, they don't make you "starve" and be in "pain", you really need to rethink your relationship with food.0 -
wow, just read through your food diary...you eat potato chips EVERY SINGLE DAY. and almost every meal is fast food. i would think that should answer your own questions0
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I agree with what a lot of others have said
-you can't use a hrm to estimate your calories while working, you'd need a bodybugg or bodymedia for that
-your idea of normal eating is definitely not.... normal
-you should be able to eat 2000 calories per day and lose (I couldn't but I have a sedentary job)
-you need to really log your food, not quick add calories
-if after a few weeks of really logging and having a deficit of 500 calories per day, if you don't lose anything, you might consider seeing a dietician.
When I was on a deficit, eating around 1600-1700, I ate normal food, and ate a lot of food, and it was pretty easy. Now that I'm on around 2000 calories, sometimes I feel super hungry and need MOOOOOOOOOORE! So I can understand that. Good luck!0 -
You really need to start logging correctly and that includes weighing your food. It's a PITA for sure however it is the ONLY accurate way to assess how many calories you're actually consuming.
When you "quick add" your calories how do you know how much you're actually consuming? Are you measuring out the portion of meat that you're putting in your tacos as well as what ever else you're adding to it? The same goes for the burger and fries. Are you weighing your burger? Counting out the french fries that you eat? Measuring the condiments you're putting on your stuff? If not then your calories aren't accurate and you're probably eating way more than you should which could be why you're gaining weight.
Also SKIP the vending machine! I get that you're working 10-11 hour shifts however there are 24 hours in a day and there is plenty of time for you to make some things at home for breakfast and lunch and snacks and bring them to work. Don't have a refrigerator? Bring a cooler and pack your food there. I used to do that because the fridge at work had no room.
Also you're probably over estimating your calorie burn which again could be contributing to the over eating and the non weight loss.0 -
I eat 900 calorie mealsIt sounds like your definition of "normal" needs to change. 900 calories for one meal would be normal for, maybe, a linebacker. Or an unhealthy person. I think I eat like a "normal" person. I don't restrict anything, if I want it, I have it. And I am usually right where I need to be for calories. If I am going to eat more I exercise and "earn" some more calories. Check out my diary, it is open.
Lol. Me too!! Usually dinner...0 -
i dont follow tdee i dont calculate the cals i lose from my job, one night i wore my hrm and it said i burned over 8,000 cals in a 10 hour shift... even if i cut that in half and say i burn 4000 plus the exercise i do, plus i walk from work most days which i also dont factor in.... the only days i see loss is when i eat under 2000 cals days like today when i ate 2300 i'll get on the scale and see nothing....
I know you two dont understand...
If you're serious about getting advice here, I suggest you work on your writing. I'm really having trouble following your train of thought. Using short paragraphs to develop a single idea would help. Lose the ellipses (. . .); periods are perfectly adequate to complete a thought. Capitalization is also good. A lot of very smart people have worked out these writing conventions over centuries, to the benefit of humankind.
As for your problem: My understanding is that MFP/TDEE is telling you that you can eat more than 2000 calories, but you're not losing weight despite your active job. But you have had success losing weight when you keep your calories under 2000. But, you can't eat less than 2000 because you feel miserable (hunger pains). So you want to know if it's at all possible to eat a "normal" diet that's less than 2000 calories.
The controversy here is what you consider normal versus what a lot of commentators consider normal. My guess is that when you say "normal," you're really saying you don't want to eat a lot of diet-y foods (celery sticks, carrots, low-fat/low-cal products, bean sprouts) or have to cut out a lot of things you like. Well, I'm the same way. When I started here, my goal was to fit my regular dinners (I'm a fan of Cook's Illustrated and Epicurious) into MFP's plan. I've generally been able to do it, but I have to watch the portions if I'm going to keep within my limits. For example, I've had a fair amount of mashed potatoes in the last week (made with butter and whole milk). The difference between pre-MFP eating and now is that I no longer fill half my plate with them. I consider this a "normal" non-diet diet. And it's been pretty successful: Since early January, I've lost 15 pounds of the 25 I set out to lose.
That said, I don't just eat this kind of food. I also eat a fair amount of fruits and vegetables, nuts, yogurt, etc. I think this is where you're running into trouble. You mention eating things like tacos, baked potatoes, hamburgers and French fries, so there's no way of knowing if you're eathing any of the other "good" stuff as well. If you're not, then you're probably feeling hungry on a 2000 calorie diet because your body is hungry for nutrients. Simply put, a baked potato, French fries, a hamburger bun, and two flour tortillas in one day is setting you up to feel hungry all day.
In short, I would follow the advice given much earlier in thread to track what you normally eat (really track it, don't cheat with Quick Calories), and then see how you can start tweaking things with more nutritionally dense foods and portion control. I bet over time you'll be able to get down to 2000 calories (which is where it sounds like you need to be to lose weight) and not feel deprived.
Best of luck.0 -
Just looked through you diary and you either had quick calories or you don't log. Just by looking at your diary I'm sure you're eating more than the 2000 calories you say you're eating. You need to cook or learn to cook and measure your food. You will have a proper calorie count, it take time and effort. There is no quick fix for this!
Good luck in your journey0 -
Not unheard of for me either.
I eat 900 calorie mealsIt sounds like your definition of "normal" needs to change. 900 calories for one meal would be normal for, maybe, a linebacker. Or an unhealthy person. I think I eat like a "normal" person. I don't restrict anything, if I want it, I have it. And I am usually right where I need to be for calories. If I am going to eat more I exercise and "earn" some more calories. Check out my diary, it is open.
Lol. Me too!! Usually dinner...0 -
The bottom line is you'll lose weight if you consume less calories than you burn. Make sure you have protein with each meal and cut back on the carbs, especially for breakfast - they are going to give you a short-lived boost and next thing you know you are craving again. Cut out the processed food. Breakfast Tacos are horrific...
Don't ever drink pop - probably the single biggest contributor to obesity in the world today. Diet pop is just as bad as it creates sugary cravings. (plus aspartame is a poison...)
It's all to do with smart choices. Yes you are going to have to do a little planning - prepare some healthy snacks the night before, have an idea what you are going to have for breakfast and log EVERYTHING you eat. Once you see it Black & White you'll realise the choices you are making are maybe not the best.
Focus, stick with it, and decide if you are really serious about eating healthy and getting in shape. Only you can decide, but we are here to support if needed!
Good Luck!0 -
When I started in January for the first week I was going over by 2000 calories and that made me realized how much I was eating . Then I started making myself eat at least 300 calories less everyday until I got a hang of it and didnt feel deprive.
This is a very concise way of saying what I wrote a few minutes ago upthread. Nicely put.0 -
Using short paragraphs to develop a single idea would help. Lose the ellipses (. . .); periods are perfectly adequate to complete a thought. Capitalization is also good. A lot of very smart people have worked out these writing conventions over centuries, to the benefit of humankind.
This is beautiful, but I love my ellipses...0
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